Behind a powerful offensive performance, the Barton Community College softball team piled up 32 runs on 26 hits Saturday afternoon at Pratt Community College, sweeping the Beavers with five-inning run-rule victories of 18-2 and 14-0.
Barton scored in nine of its ten offensive innings in the twinbill, using multiple big frames in each contest to extend its winning streak to four games in the early portion of Jayhawk Conference play.
The Cougars improve to 12-8 overall while Pratt drops to 0-4 in conference play and 3-16 on the season. Barton now returns home for early conference tests in a two-date homestand, beginning Wednesday against Hutchinson Community College before hosting Butler Community College on Saturday. First pitch for both doubleheaders is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. at Cougar Field.
Carly Erpelding delivered a perfect day at the plate, going 6-for-6 while driving in eight runs on a pair of doubles and two home runs, giving the freshman seven long balls on the season.
The top of the Cougar lineup produced 14 of the team's hits, hitting .583 across the twinbill. Laney Wood tallied five hits, including a triple and her first home run of the season, tying Erpelding with eight runs batted in. Kahli Fields followed in the No. 2 spot with another five-hit performance while driving in four runs. Karter Alvord reached base seven times, going 4-for-5 with a double and triple while adding three walks.
In the circle, Barton pitchers limited Pratt to just six hits on the afternoon. Charley Wheeler scattered five hits in the opener while striking out seven to improve to 6-3 on the season. Ellie Crawford moved to 4-0 with the game two victory, allowing just a lone second-inning leadoff hit while striking out three across four innings. Trista Rogers worked the final frame, striking out one while retiring the Beavers in order.